When you place your child in day care, it’s essential to ensure that they are in the right developmental group. Since there are significant differences between infant and toddler behaviors, the staff will generally ensure that your child is in the correct group for their needs. Below is a rundown of the behavioral differences between infant and toddlers. 

What Markers Distinguish Infants & Toddlers?

While every child may show different developmental markers at different times, the infant phase is between birth and 12 months, and the toddler phase is between 12 and 36 months. As your infant starts to move toward that stage, both you and your child’s day care center will be on the lookout for meaningful changes.

It’s common for toddlers to start being more mobile, as they first begin to wiggle and crawl. Toddlers will start growing out of their morning nap and are ready to eat more solid food. Their personality may begin to emerge, so toddlers can be more expressive when their preferences are met or not met. 

Why Does It Matter in the Context of Day Care?

Each area and group within a day care is optimized for that specific developmental group. If your child is showing signs of the toddler phase, but is still with infants, problems could develop. They may get frustrated at having a nap-time they no longer need, or cause unwanted contact between kids with their newfound mobility. Since toddlers tend to become more sensitive to being separated from their parents, it’s important that they’re in a group where that sensitivity is monitored. The best day care centers know to look for the smallest signs of progress so they can make positive adjustments as needed. 

If you’re in need of quality day care for your infant or toddler, take your child to Tiny World Child Care in Brookline, MA. The child care team will pay close attention to your toddler to assess their changing development. This bilingual center wants every child to feel comfortable and be with other children in a similar stage. To find out more about their child care services, call (617) 232-0115. Learn more about their programs by visiting their website.